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First Look: Apple's new MacBook Air (with photos and video) - Page 2

post #41 of 187
1/16/08 at 9:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xtrmtrk View Post

My 12" PowerBook G4 is probably the best piece of technology I've ever purchased; I travel extensively with it, and it's just perfect. I can watch DVDs in the middle of the Australian outback, I have 3 spare batteries for long flights (not originating in the US), and I've got a huge hard disk in it for all my photos and movies. All I want is the same form factor, same ports and options, but with a modern Intel processor. I had high hopes for the next generation Apple notebook, but the Air isn't quite right for my needs. Am I that unusual?

Take a PB 12inch. Grow it just .7 inch lengthwise to accommodate the 13.3 inch widescreen and a full sized keyboard. (Notice the wasted space on left/right of keyboard and screen on the new MBA). Now lose the optical drive just as they did. Cut some depth so it is around 8.5. Cut thickness to .77 but keep as a brick shape.

PB 12 was 4.6 So you'd probably be able to deliver a 3.0 lb laptop with all the ports you want (remember no optical drive, loss of a port or two and the typical LED screen save like 1/2 lb right there.

No longer the world's thinest, but just as light, smaller footprint and with two speakers and a removable battery.

I am using an old 12inch iBook G4 as I type this. So a touch heavier and bigger than you PB guys but still nice.
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post #42 of 187
1/16/08 at 9:57pm
I just can't see the MBA being successful. It's the reincarnation of the Cube in a laptop form- stunning design, weak in power, high in price. In addition to wealthy Mac freaks, I'm sure it will be popular with Hollywood starlets, Manhattan fashion desingers, etc as a high tech status symbol, but that's about it. I could see $1800 if it included the 64 Meg flash drive, but for a 4200 rpm drive? Is losing two pounds and half an inch worth all the downsides? I don't think so.

Meanwhile, Apple overlooks obvious holes in its lineup such as a 15" Macbook and a mid range tower. These would cost considerably less than the MBA to create and have far greater appeal. Sure the might "cannibalize" (I hate that term) their other product lines, but it would more importantly draw people over from the PC side (like me).
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post #43 of 187
1/16/08 at 10:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Critics have already pounced on the design decisions of the MacBook Air, insisting that it needs various ports, a lid that allows users to swap out the battery, and future expansion slots for RAM and various other things.

Critics need to say something of course, but the Air is clearly not intended to be a MacBook Pro killer, but rather a revival of the ultra portable Mac laptop.


I think not. I think its something rather new. Let's see now... ultrathin, nonremovable battery, sexy lines, multitouch...

Ohhh, I get it now. It's a MacBook... iPod-ized.

If the 'Halo' effect wasn't obvious enough already, Steve's now gonna hit you over the head with it. With a sledgehammer.

Also kind of explains why its not a true subnotebook... that wasn't the point.

.
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post #44 of 187
1/16/08 at 10:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stonefree View Post

Meanwhile, Apple overlooks obvious holes in its lineup such as a 15" Macbook and a mid range tower. These would cost considerably less than the MBA to create and have far greater appeal. Sure the might "cannibalize" (I hate that term) their other product lines, but it would more importantly draw people over from the PC side (like me).


Amen, bro. Mac marketshare is improving, but could be a lot better still if Apple priced more aggressively in certain segments and filled the more glaring holes in its lineup, as you say. In the current environment, new Macs like that would absolutely kill.

But Steve-o seems not to care a whit about such things. \


.
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post #45 of 187
1/16/08 at 10:16pm
Okay a macbook is 13.3 with the same footprint but thicker. It's 5lbs.

Let's say I wait a year for the LED screens to be there too. I then open it up. I throw out the innards of the superdrive. I yank the HDD and put in a 1.8inch one and have a teck guy duct tape it in.

Aren't I now at 4lbs just from those steps and that is with a heavy plastic case?

I mean look at the weight of a 14INCH Panasonic with an optical drive. I don't want an optical drive, but why the hell can Panasonic or Toshiba deliver stuff closer to 2lbs with optical drives (again with a 12inch screen to help, but they also have removable batteries, optical drives, lots of ports and probably stereo speakers). Toshiba has a 12incher with the same sized keyboard and an SSD at 1.75 lbs. Okay, slightly smaller screen, but 40% lighter! Okay, those laptops as not quite as thin, but narrower and shorter. Toshiba R500 is like 0.8 thick. Gee, Apple gives me .74 thick that tapers a big at the cost of greater width, depth and weight. Thanks, Apple! This is not A work, more like a solid B.

Maybe Apple should have used carbon fiber to save on the case's weight...
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post #46 of 187
1/16/08 at 10:40pm
I've seen a lot of complaints about the price of the SSD. You do realize that this is not within Apple's control right? Take a look at other laptops using them. It adds the same amount to the price if not more. They are expensive. There's just no way around it right now.

     197619842013  

     Where were you when the hammer flew?  

 

MacBook Pro Retina, 13", 2.5 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD

iPhone 5 • iPad 4 • CR48 Chromebook • ThinkPad X220

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     197619842013  

     Where were you when the hammer flew?  

 

MacBook Pro Retina, 13", 2.5 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD

iPhone 5 • iPad 4 • CR48 Chromebook • ThinkPad X220

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post #47 of 187
1/16/08 at 10:41pm
I've been surprised by all the negativity, since the final product was pretty much what I was hoping for, but then it's a lesson to me that not everyone (indeed, seemingly very few) shares my opinion on what makes a good ultra-portable. Among the common complaints are the battery: I never carry a spare and am rarely more than five hours from a power source, so no problem for me; and the lack of an optical drive, which I am actually very happy about. I use the optical drive very, very rarely and it's always struck me as unnecessary on a laptop unless you're installing software. I download my movies and tv shows, transfer files on a flash drive - my optical drive largely sit there gathering dust 99 days out of a hundred. I even like the lack of access - gives me a sense of solidity (though I might reconsider the first time something breaks). In fact I have only two complaints: the price and the lack of an ethernet socket. Despite that, I'll get one to replace my MacBook, which has all the features I need but is a bit too heavy, and wastes space with that unnecessary optical drive and removable battery.
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post #48 of 187
1/16/08 at 10:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by spatial View Post

Despite that, I'll get one to replace my MacBook, which has all the features I need but is a bit too heavy, and wastes space with that unnecessary optical drive and removable battery.


DAMN YOU, removable laptop battery!!! You're so... so... UNNECESSARILY AND CONVENIENTLY REMOVABLE!

*takes MacBook battery out and shakes fist at it*





Holy unnecessarily removable batteries, Batman!







.
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post #49 of 187
1/16/08 at 11:16pm
I think a lot of you folks are overlooking something important.

I noticed it right away given my field. I make all my money maintaining, configuring, and setting up computers for business professionals. I also advise them on technology and help them to find solutions that match their lifestyles.

Many of them are very fond of Macintosh, and they pretty much all lamented a lack of a more portable computer. When I found out that something along those lines was going to be included in Jobs keynote I told them about it, and started advising that they hold off on new laptop purchases just in case something revolutionary was announced (and I theorized that this is exactly what would happen). What amazed me, though, is that while talking with them about prospect ultra-portables, nearly every single one of them started complaining about miniaturized keyboards or screens smaller than 13". Their issue was weight. I figured Apple wasn't going to deliver a proper solution for them, and started to hope the Macbook would get an appropriate revision.

And then here comes MacBook Air. It is a perfect solution for nearly all of them, and about twelve of them have already pre-ordered it. They can use it comfortably (no need to adapt to a non-standard keyboard, or view super-small text on a screen), and it is not going to wear their backs out. They had initial concerns about things like the CD-ROM drive, but Apple's solutions appear to be very elegant. I think this product is extremely wonderful for this demographic!

Business professionals.

Normal computer users care about accessibility and usability. They want something that works, feels comfortable, and doesn't interfere with their plans. That's what the MacBook Air offers, and to people of this nature, it more than justifies its price tag.

I won't be getting one myself -- I depend too much on advanced computer capabilities -- but I'm very excited about the technology it introduces. I'm looking forward to seeing these gestures mature into other notebooks from Apple, I'm looking forward to seeing further evolution of the solid state drive, and I'm looking forward to the headway Apple will get with other computers thanks to the miniaturization technology that they have put into this laptop.

And for on-the-go work, for the vast majority of non-multimedia professionals, 2GBs RAM and 80GBs HDD space is more than enough to keep them covered for even the next six years, if they plan to use the computer that long. I suspect most people who buy this sort of computer, though, will be considering upgrades regardless after about four years (if not less).

I think this product will be a success.

Just not for the typical Mac super-user.
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post #50 of 187
1/16/08 at 11:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post

And then here comes MacBook Air. It is a perfect solution for nearly all of them, and about twelve of them have already pre-ordered it. They can use it comfortably (no need to adapt to a non-standard keyboard, or view super-small text on a screen), and it is not going to wear their backs out. They had initial concerns about things like the CD-ROM drive, but Apple's solutions appear to be very elegant. I think this product is extremely wonderful for this demographic!

Business professionals.

Normal computer users care about accessibility and usability. They want something that works, feels comfortable, and doesn't interfere with their plans. That's what the MacBook Air offers, and to people of this nature, it more than justifies its price tag.

I think this product will be a success.

(snip, snip, snip)

You are 100% correct. This is the computer for executives and other professionals. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people run out and buy the MacBook Pro and it ends up being too much computer for them. This fits it's intended target audience perfectly.

Proud AAPL stock owner.

 

GOA

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Proud AAPL stock owner.

 

GOA

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post #51 of 187
1/17/08 at 12:23am
Lots of negative posts! If this computer is not for you, get over it. It is for some people and they will enjoy it immensely.

As for those who say it has no ethernet, it does with an adapter that those who can already afford the machine won't consider outlandish.

No Optical Drive? Good riddance, as it goes unused 99% of the time and is not essential then. Anybody who buys the Air will have at least one other computer; many will have several. With Remote Disc, people will be more than happy to part with the dead weight and bulk.

For those who complain about the battery size, having used PBs and MBs and MBPs for many years, I think a 5 hour life is perfect. A swappable battery might have been a better implementation, but they will hopefully provide a rapid turn-around if the batt ever does need swapping. You can plan a two-day down period, especially if you have several other machines to work with.

For those who think it cannot handle video, think again. The latest HD cameras in Japan do not have FireWire: it is becoming a USB world. Though I wouldn't want to edit a 3-hour epic on the Air, it should more than handle light video.

For those who think 80GB isn't enough, I am a professional writer/materials developer and work with audio and video all the time. My old PB had an 80GB drive that never once ran out of space. My current MBP has a 120 HD, but only 50 GB are currently used and that is with an entire video project before editing. I simply do not keep frivolous stuff on it. If I want music or entertainment, I have an iPod Touch.

The skimming of features has led to a nicely lowered front end of the computer which I think will make typing on it easier (ergonomically) than with a MBP where the user has to elevate his hands.

While I believe it will be popular with a variety of groups, with the Air, Apple is playing on the success of the iPhone amongst executives. These are people who won't blink at the slightly high cost of the Air but will quickly appreciate that it doesn't have anything they don't want or need. If they need a more powerful computer, they can grab a MBP.

That Apple also released the TimeCapsule makes for the perfect set that has the user in mind, a very Apple way of doing things. Time capsule, Air and a printer and you have an amazing system that will be the envy of many.

As one who hoped Apple would come out with something the size of a DVD case, I will admit that they changed my thinking. This is light enough and thin enough to slip in a briefcase with other things without taking special consideration for the computer; I'm sure that a 3rd party will create a padded case in the form of an envelope, so you can even use that soon.

Again, if the computer is not for you, it doesn't make it a bad machine. As Spam and Xian said above, this computer is a perfect item for those Apple hopes will buy it.

 

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post #52 of 187
1/17/08 at 2:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post

No Optical Drive? Good riddance, as it goes unused 99% of the time and is not essential then. Anybody who buys the Air will have at least one other computer; many will have several. With Remote Disc, people will be more than happy to part with the dead weight and bulk.

It truly is a daring move from Apple. And the external optical drive is just perfect: this way you can choose between an external Bluray drive and HDDVD drive yourself. Apple wins (zero gamble risk) and the consumer wins (freedom of choice).

I hope the new 15" & 17" MBP will follow this trend. With a black iMac border this time
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post #53 of 187
1/17/08 at 3:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post

Business professionals.

These are the magic words. The MBA is for them and no one else. Well, probably a few more, but that's all.

This notebook has its uses and Apple certainly conducted the necessary market research before even starting the project. Time will tell how well it will do. Until then it is to anyone's speculation to tell. Personally I have zero interest in the MBA, but this does not prevents me to see that some professionals may do.
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post #54 of 187
1/17/08 at 4:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post

No Optical Drive? Good riddance, as it goes unused 99% of the time and is not essential then.

I would not generalise so easily. My daughter uses quite often the optical drive (at least 2-3 times per week), but this does not means that everyone else uses it that often. Same for the 99% figure you cite.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post

Anybody who buys the Air will have at least one other computer; many will have several.

Quite so, which just reinforces the idea that the MBA is not for everyone. This task was appointed to the Macbook, so everyone who dislikes the MBA can go and buy a MB instead. Not that much different, except for the weight.

Somehow I don't understand the slam Apple gets on this. If Apple did a mistake, then the price will be heavy. We don't need here to bust some little vein on this.
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post #55 of 187
1/17/08 at 4:30am
If those were plugged in and running all day on a glass table, they should be warmed up enough to indicate whether they will be lap toasters or something more comfortable. Any first hand reports on the temperature?

I've been thinking about this integrated battery thing, and I finally realized that I have never once pulled out my second battery for my 12" PB or various PowerBooks before that in order to keep working. There are a couple reasons for that: 1) I'm not one of those proverbial work-every-minute-of-a-cross-country/ocean-flight people and 2) I never found it convenient to keep 2 batteries charged and ready to go. So this MBA will save me the $130 or so for that just-in-case batter that I never got any use out of.

I really don't understand the vitriol about this new product. I'm almost afraid to buy one because a mob will converge on my house to attack my family (or at least insult me). If you don't care about a 40% weight reduction then move along; this product is not for you.
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post #56 of 187
1/17/08 at 4:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by suhail View Post

The MacBook Air is awesome, fabulous, sexy, thin, light, and innovative in most ways.
Only 2GB RAM, only 80GB HD, or the shameless $999 for a smaller solid state HD.
Beautiful, Underpowered, Overpriced.
Apple will soon be reliving the Cube days.

That is a hefty amount of innards for an ultralight. Most of the others being cited as "better" have less and slower of everything, especially those 1.2GHz ULV CPUs.

I have two 2GB of RAM in my Merom MacBook. The max iwould be 3GB but who pays a premium for that? 2GB is more than enough.

As for the SSD, I double dog dare you to find a cheaper one. The lowest I found from an OEM is $1,400.


Quote:
Originally Posted by stonefree View Post

I just can't see the MBA being successful. It's the reincarnation of the Cube in a laptop form- stunning design, weak in power, high in price.

All ultralight notebooks are higher in price. It's the nature of the beast. This however actually uses a modern LV C2D instead of a higher priced and slower ULV processor.

Quote:
I could see $1800 if it included the 64 Meg flash drive, but for a 4200 rpm drive? Is losing two pounds and half an inch worth all the downsides? I don't think so.

$1,800 will barely buy you 64GB SSD from Google Products. And that's if you shop around.[quote]



Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCMacFan View Post

I don't want an optical drive, but why the hell can Panasonic or Toshiba deliver stuff closer to 2lbs with optical drives ... Okay, those laptops as not quite as thin, but narrower and shorter.

These also don't have ful size keyboards, displays or low-voltage CPUs. They are slow and uncomfortable to use for long durations.
IT'S NOT AN ULTRA-PORTABLE.
IT'S AN ULTRA-LIGHT "REGULAR" PORTABLE.
It's not your universal claw hammer, it's a specialized hammer.
Formula One cars aren't designed for to compete with the family minivan, but are designed to do a certain task very well. Save for the lack of HSDPA, this is an absolutely ideal machine for mu constant traveling. No one expects this to ideal fr everyone, but it's foolish to think that just it's a good fit for you that it's not a great fit for other people.


PS: The battery duration is with WiFi on. Turned off, i wonder how much additional battery life I can expect. This is a big deal for internal flights that are lasting 12 hours or more. I currently bring 2 additional MacBook batteries with. What a pain in the ass it is to remove my TechShell, pull out a coin and replace the battery ever two hours. This should equal or exceed those threee batteries when WiFi and BT is disabled.
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post #57 of 187
1/17/08 at 4:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PB View Post

I would not generalise so easily. My daughter uses quite often the optical drive (at least 2-3 times per week), but this does not means that everyone else uses it that often. Same for the 99% figure you cite.

I was speaking from personal experience, but I have several computers both at home and at work. Someone for whom a notebook is their primary computer will likely use the optical drive more often. The MBA is targeted at people who don't need nor want the optical drive but are willing to pay a little extra to have something light, portable and sexy.

The funny thing here is that part of my job is creating CDs and DVDs.

 

Your = the possessive of you, as in, "Your name is Tom, right?" or "What is your name?"

 

You're = a contraction of YOU + ARE as in, "You are right" --> "You're right."

 

 

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Your = the possessive of you, as in, "Your name is Tom, right?" or "What is your name?"

 

You're = a contraction of YOU + ARE as in, "You are right" --> "You're right."

 

 

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post #58 of 187
1/17/08 at 5:11am
I can see the market for this product. A lot of people I know use their laptops as desktop replacement machines rather than true portables because their machines are too heavy to carry around all the time. The most important factors for me are size, weight and battery life. I like the full sized keyboard as it looks comfortable to use for long periods, the weight is ok but not brilliant. The one issue I have however is battery life. I suspect that there was nothing Apple could do but surely by now the laptop battery makers could have invented a battery that lasts at least 8 hours or longer. When I am out on business seeing clients it's a real pain to have to ask them all the time if I can plug my laptop in.
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post #59 of 187
1/17/08 at 5:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post

Lots of negative posts! If this computer is not for you, get over it. It is for some people and they will enjoy it immensely.

As for those who say it has no ethernet, it does with an adapter that those who can already afford the machine won't consider outlandish.

No Optical Drive? Good riddance, as it goes unused 99% of the time and is not essential then. Anybody who buys the Air will have at least one other computer; many will have several. With Remote Disc, people will be more than happy to part with the dead weight and bulk.


For those who think it cannot handle video, think again. The latest HD cameras in Japan do not have FireWire: it is becoming a USB world. Though I wouldn't want to edit a 3-hour epic on the Air, it should more than handle light video.

For those who think 80GB isn't enough, I am a professional writer/materials developer and work with audio and video all the time. My old PB had an 80GB drive that never once ran out of space. My current MBP has a 120 HD, but only 50 GB are currently used and that is with an entire video project before editing. I simply do not keep frivolous stuff on it. If I want music or entertainment, I have an iPod Touch.

The skimming of features has led to a nicely lowered front end of the computer which I think will make typing on it easier (ergonomically) than with a MBP where the user has to elevate his hands.

While I believe it will be popular with a variety of groups, with the Air, Apple is playing on the success of the iPhone amongst executives. These are people who won't blink at the slightly high cost of the Air but will quickly appreciate that it doesn't have anything they don't want or need. If they need a more powerful computer, they can grab a MBP.

That Apple also released the TimeCapsule makes for the perfect set that has the user in mind, a very Apple way of doing things. Time capsule, Air and a printer and you have an amazing system that will be the envy of many.

As one who hoped Apple would come out with something the size of a DVD case, I will admit that they changed my thinking. This is light enough and thin enough to slip in a briefcase with other things without taking special consideration for the computer; I'm sure that a 3rd party will create a padded case in the form of an envelope, so you can even use that soon.

Again, if the computer is not for you, it doesn't make it a bad machine. As Spam and Xian said above, this computer is a perfect item for those Apple hopes will buy it.

It isn't a bad machine, and it isn't bad because I don't want or need it, but it is not a machine that will sell. This is obviously cool but thats it and most aren't going to pay such a huge premium for something with less power and features. And as far as people who can afford it not caring how much all the peripherals cost that is not a good way to do business- "Oh hey this thing will be so expensive we can nickel and dime everyone and since they can afford such an expensive computer they can afford anything else we throw at them for 100 bucks". Come on. No one is going to "appreciate" getting less and paying more.
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post #60 of 187
1/17/08 at 5:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tuneman07 View Post

It isn't a bad machine, and it isn't bad because I don't want or need it, but it is not a machine that will sell. This is obviously cool but thats it and most aren't going to pay such a huge premium for something with less power and features. And as far as people who can afford it not caring how much all the peripherals cost that is not a good way to do business- "Oh hey this thing will be so expensive we can nickel and dime everyone and since they can afford such an expensive computer they can afford anything else we throw at them for 100 bucks". Come on. No one is going to "appreciate" getting less and paying more.

That alone is unconvincing. These are _very_ similar to the arguments used to say that the iMac, iPod & iPhone wouldn't sell, but history has shown otherwise. Time will tell if it will be like those products or a Cube. It can go either way.

If I buy one of these things, I'd not buy the optical drive behind anyway. I barely use the optical drive on my Mac Pro. I can take care of my movies, music, backups and software installations at home, any on-the-road data transfers can be done with a thumb drive or wirelessly.
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post #61 of 187
1/17/08 at 5:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tuneman07 View Post

Come on. No one is going to "appreciate" getting less and paying more.

With that POV, every notebook is getting less and paying more compared to every desktop, yet notebooks are likely to outsell desktops for the first time this year. We have always paid more for smaller for more efficient technology in computers. Things haven't changed since Tuesday.

With more and more people having multiple personal computers it makes sense to have one behemoth as a main workstation and another that is easily portable. If you won't use for long durations and don't need anything near a modern notebook's performance you can get an ulta-portable that it lighter and has a much smaller footprint, but you'll may more for that too.
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post #62 of 187
1/17/08 at 5:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by -LD View Post

Your company will buy you the Air as well?

Sounds like a hell of a company. They hiring?

Actually, yours sounds more like the "hell of a company."

And, sure, when the time for the next update is up, they would consider it very favorably if I asked (considering my current one is a much more expensive 17" MBP).
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post #63 of 187
1/17/08 at 6:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Superbass View Post

I spend about half the year in hotels, most of them good, and while almost all have wireless, their service, 90% of the time, does not encompass the entire hotel. Usually the lobby, plus maybe the first 3 floors, and if I'm lucky maybe one of the conference rooms. In fact, I'm at the Radisson in Chennai right now, using Ethernet from the 6th floor because I don't want to sit in the lobby to use WiFi. I think it was after the 5th ethernet cable I bought so i could be online from a hotel room that realized that I could take hotels' Wifi claims with a grain of salt.

If I got the MBA, I would travel with an Airport Express.
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post #64 of 187
1/17/08 at 6:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post

Lots of negative posts! If this computer is not for you, get over it. It is for some people and they will enjoy it immensely.

As for those who say it has no ethernet, it does with an adapter that those who can already afford the machine won't consider outlandish.

No Optical Drive? Good riddance, as it goes unused 99% of the time and is not essential then. Anybody who buys the Air will have at least one other computer; many will have several. With Remote Disc, people will be more than happy to part with the dead weight and bulk.

For those who complain about the battery size, having used PBs and MBs and MBPs for many years, I think a 5 hour life is perfect. A swappable battery might have been a better implementation, but they will hopefully provide a rapid turn-around if the batt ever does need swapping. You can plan a two-day down period, especially if you have several other machines to work with.

For those who think it cannot handle video, think again. The latest HD cameras in Japan do not have FireWire: it is becoming a USB world. Though I wouldn't want to edit a 3-hour epic on the Air, it should more than handle light video.

For those who think 80GB isn't enough, I am a professional writer/materials developer and work with audio and video all the time. My old PB had an 80GB drive that never once ran out of space. My current MBP has a 120 HD, but only 50 GB are currently used and that is with an entire video project before editing. I simply do not keep frivolous stuff on it. If I want music or entertainment, I have an iPod Touch.

The skimming of features has led to a nicely lowered front end of the computer which I think will make typing on it easier (ergonomically) than with a MBP where the user has to elevate his hands.

While I believe it will be popular with a variety of groups, with the Air, Apple is playing on the success of the iPhone amongst executives. These are people who won't blink at the slightly high cost of the Air but will quickly appreciate that it doesn't have anything they don't want or need. If they need a more powerful computer, they can grab a MBP.

That Apple also released the TimeCapsule makes for the perfect set that has the user in mind, a very Apple way of doing things. Time capsule, Air and a printer and you have an amazing system that will be the envy of many.

As one who hoped Apple would come out with something the size of a DVD case, I will admit that they changed my thinking. This is light enough and thin enough to slip in a briefcase with other things without taking special consideration for the computer; I'm sure that a 3rd party will create a padded case in the form of an envelope, so you can even use that soon.

Again, if the computer is not for you, it doesn't make it a bad machine. As Spam and Xian said above, this computer is a perfect item for those Apple hopes will buy it.


How do you think the MBA will do in Japan? Is it small enough to be appealing in that market?
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post #65 of 187
1/17/08 at 6:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by spatial View Post

I've been surprised by all the negativity, since the final product was pretty much what I was hoping for, but then it's a lesson to me that not everyone (indeed, seemingly very few) shares my opinion on what makes a good ultra-portable. Among the common complaints are the battery: I never carry a spare and am rarely more than five hours from a power source, so no problem for me; and the lack of an optical drive, which I am actually very happy about. I use the optical drive very, very rarely and it's always struck me as unnecessary on a laptop unless you're installing software. I download my movies and tv shows, transfer files on a flash drive - my optical drive largely sit there gathering dust 99 days out of a hundred. I even like the lack of access - gives me a sense of solidity (though I might reconsider the first time something breaks). In fact I have only two complaints: the price and the lack of an ethernet socket. Despite that, I'll get one to replace my MacBook, which has all the features I need but is a bit too heavy, and wastes space with that unnecessary optical drive and removable battery.

Ditto, my feelings exactly. It is not for everyone. I'll be planning to get one in a few months, after they've worked out the (inevitable) initial build-quality control issues. Add me to the list of 'very likely buyer.'
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post #66 of 187
1/17/08 at 6:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCMacFan View Post

Okay a macbook is 13.3 with the same footprint but thicker. It's 5lbs.

Let's say I wait a year for the LED screens to be there too. I then open it up. I throw out the innards of the superdrive. I yank the HDD and put in a 1.8inch one and have a teck guy duct tape it in.

Aren't I now at 4lbs just from those steps and that is with a heavy plastic case?

I mean look at the weight of a 14INCH Panasonic with an optical drive. I don't want an optical drive, but why the hell can Panasonic or Toshiba deliver stuff closer to 2lbs with optical drives (again with a 12inch screen to help, but they also have removable batteries, optical drives, lots of ports and probably stereo speakers). Toshiba has a 12incher with the same sized keyboard and an SSD at 1.75 lbs. Okay, slightly smaller screen, but 40% lighter! Okay, those laptops as not quite as thin, but narrower and shorter. Toshiba R500 is like 0.8 thick. Gee, Apple gives me .74 thick that tapers a big at the cost of greater width, depth and weight. Thanks, Apple! This is not A work, more like a solid B.

Maybe Apple should have used carbon fiber to save on the case's weight...

For cripes sake, will you get it through your thick skull that the weight they list does not include the 6 cell battery yet it comes with a 6-cell. As they state in the small print, (follow the *'s), the (gross) weight will vary depending on the final configuration (whatever that may mean).

If you are going to reference anything, get your facts straight. (no they do not include stereo speakers) Note the Toshiba's listed weight does not include the optical drive! And it is 0.77" at the front to 1.0" at the rear, but not including the feet!

Do yourself a favor. Watch the Keynote and CNBC interview. Perhaps then you will understand better.
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post #67 of 187
1/17/08 at 6:53am
oh man this thing is just getting torn apart.

not a single good comment yet.

=]
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post #68 of 187
1/17/08 at 6:58am
You might try re-reading all of the messages.

 

Your = the possessive of you, as in, "Your name is Tom, right?" or "What is your name?"

 

You're = a contraction of YOU + ARE as in, "You are right" --> "You're right."

 

 

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Your = the possessive of you, as in, "Your name is Tom, right?" or "What is your name?"

 

You're = a contraction of YOU + ARE as in, "You are right" --> "You're right."

 

 

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post #69 of 187
1/17/08 at 7:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism View Post

These also don't have ful size keyboards, displays or low-voltage CPUs. They are slow and uncomfortable to use for long durations.
IT'S NOT AN ULTRA-PORTABLE.
IT'S AN ULTRA-LIGHT "REGULAR" PORTABLE..

Actually, they do have full sized keyboards. Once you went to 12inch widescreen you have a full sized keyboard. I prefer the Apple as I think the 12inch widescreen lacks the vertical space you need for everyday use and that 13.3 is much better. Either gives you a full keyboard though.

My quibble is that Apple could have shaved another 1/2lb off this. Look at the wasted space to the left/right of MBA the keyboard. Look at the footprint of the old 12inch PBs. Apple could have done better.
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post #70 of 187
1/17/08 at 7:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCMacFan View Post

My quibble is that Apple could have shaved another 1/2lb off this. Look at the wasted space to the left/right of MBA the keyboard. Look at the footprint of the old 12inch PBs. Apple could have done better.

We should all let Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ives come to out places of work (or school) and snipe at everything we do. "Are you kidding me, you only took 47 orders this hour? And move more fries! You could have done better."
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post #71 of 187
1/17/08 at 7:53am
I have a son who is anti Apple. He just bought, from Dell, a $ 180 PC with 2 Gigs RAM and a DVD burner. He got at Target a $ 49 MP3 player. I also have 6 Macs in the house. I personally have an iPhone, 2 iPod Classics, 1 Nano, 1 Shuffle, a 24" iMac and I was looking for a laptop. My son got a $ 399 laptop from Dell. You know, it does it all. Naturally I was gonna get a MacBook.

Then I got the MBA just cause Steve said so. I know that when I give business presentations people will woo and wahh like they do when I pull out the iPhone and brag. I never felt, not even once, that the iPhone was overpriced or too much. I got my wife a free AT&T phone after she said she did not care what phone she got. I got myself an iPhone cause I love everything about Apple.

Yes Apple is more money. But put it in perspective. Mortage, cars, insurance, insurance, insurance...I see the Apple gear as the pleasure in life.

Now carting around a 3 pounder vs. a larger 5 pounder does make a difference.

Those that cry Apple products are too high in price are correct. Are we all driving in Toyota Tercels? Some of us are in BMWs. Not that we are necessarily rich...its just that putting that money in Merrill Lynch for 40 years and smile that Alzheimer's smile with a fully retired and funded twilight years scenario with our diapers well damn those Alzheimer years. I wanna live now.

Here is the point. Many were happy with the PowerBook 12". It was expensive. I never used its DVD drive.

Also, the panache, the adulation, the class to sit in a group with Airs vs. a greasemonkey meeting of techie guys with their MBPs. The MBA is for executives. The MBP is for techs. Do you know how you look when you walk into a meeting of 10 executives all with their MBAs and you birth an MBP? You look like you are gonna power the whole building with that thing. Like you are gonna sit and bake an omelet when it starts. Like it can spit out dark matter and anti matter.

Or like Flintstone. Why do we laugh at the Zune? The more it is discounted the more is does not sell. It works.

Why do women bother to be size 2, 4 and the bulging obese size 6? Do you know even 1 lady that will buy a MBP over a MBA? Not a single woman will. A woman with an MBP is now like a woman with a large suitcase without wheels.

Fashion. Portability. Panache. Looks. Convenience. Class. Executive. BMW. Mercedes. Lexus.

And, if you are in this forum, guess what.
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post #72 of 187
1/17/08 at 7:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

I have stayed in everything from 5-star hotels to roadside motels in the US and in a number of countries around the world. In the past couple of years, there is not one that I have stayed in anywhere in the world has not had wi-fi. Indeed, the cheaper the hotel, the cheaper (or essentially free) the wi-fi.

Yikes, what hotels are these that you stay in, in NJ?

How about this one in Florida? Strictly Ethernet.

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post #73 of 187
1/17/08 at 8:01am
Btw, I'd be interested to know how quickly this thing boots on an SSD drive. I'm surprised I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere.
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post #74 of 187
1/17/08 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

If I got the MBA, I would travel with an Airport Express.

I think that would partly defeat the point of the MBAir. They do offer that USB Ethernet adapter.
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post #75 of 187
1/17/08 at 8:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by daniel84 View Post

Btw, I'd be interested to know how quickly this thing boots on an SSD drive. I'm surprised I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere.

MacWorld will probably test that when they get the machines.
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post #76 of 187
1/17/08 at 8:42am
welcome to 2008 gentlemen! And fasten your seat belts as Steve & Ive are getting ready for the next wave of daring product releases. We are talking innovation, right?
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post #77 of 187
1/17/08 at 8:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dontlookleft View Post

Very nice machine if I were a rich businessman.

This just isn't a practical machine for most people on tight budgets.

Enjoy to those that can waste away the money!

Quote:
Man you guys are nuts- I have been waiting a long time for a laptop with way less performance/features than the macbook for almost double the price. This is exactly what I was hoping for- a very thin macbook I could fit into an envelope, because I like to carry mine in an envelope- this is definitely worth almost double the price. Thanks Apple!

Quote:
What a fiasco! All Apple needed to do was revamp the Macbook Pro line with blu-ray drives and hi def screens, add a 13" version and they would have sold like hot cakes. This has a very limited audience at this price- it should be sub $1,000 or not at all.


I guess most people in the US dont get the ultra-compact market. Its hasnt caught on here, may be there is no demand for it. The market is very different in the far east.
This is a niche market and thats what Apple is trying to serve. Try to understand that Air is not meant to replace your existing machine. You simply cannot compare the Air to Macbook/Pro. Its a "ultra-compact", not your desktop replacement machine, and with that in mind i think Apple has done an excellent job.

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post #78 of 187
1/17/08 at 8:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by success View Post

MacBookAir=Zzz

I guess if you want to pay $2,000 USD (including tax) for the reduction of 2lbs then all the power to ya...

That's exactly why people want a unit like this. Is that really so hard to understand?

Some people do a ton of traveling - for them, smaller and lighter is worth paying more for.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Superbass View Post

To get basic functionality, one must spend a bunch of extra money on external drives, hubs, ethernet adapters, etc. etc., which results in the same sized package as a MacBook (still with less power and battery issues).

Anything that requires extra stuff isn't basic functionality.

This box can connect to networks wirelessly, and run apps. That's basic functionality. On the laptop I have at home, I have no need for any of the things you listed.

There are tons of business people who do nothing more with their laptops than read and write email and documents. This is the perfect laptop for them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tuneman07 View Post

And as far as people who can afford it not caring how much all the peripherals cost that is not a good way to do business- "Oh hey this thing will be so expensive we can nickel and dime everyone and since they can afford such an expensive computer they can afford anything else we throw at them for 100 bucks". Come on. No one is going to "appreciate" getting less and paying more.

You just don't get the point of the machine. People aren't going to buy the machine and lug it around with a bunch of hubs and peripherals. There are people out there who don't NEED any of those extras, and they are the market for this box. They will just get the unit, and get data to it wirelessly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by daniel84 View Post

Btw, I'd be interested to know how quickly this thing boots on an SSD drive. I'm surprised I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere.

Probably because none of the units shown at macworld have the SSD drive. I don't know if anyone has had hands on experience with one yet.
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post #79 of 187
1/17/08 at 9:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by xtrmtrk View Post

My 12" PowerBook G4 is probably the best piece of technology I've ever purchased; I travel extensively with it, and it's just perfect. I can watch DVDs in the middle of the Australian outback, I have 3 spare batteries for long flights (not originating in the US), and I've got a huge hard disk in it for all my photos and movies. All I want is the same form factor, same ports and options, but with a modern Intel processor. I had high hopes for the next generation Apple notebook, but the Air isn't quite right for my needs. Am I that unusual?

Ditto for the high hopes, but I didn't watch DVDs in the middle of the outback (I found other things to watch when I was there), and I don't travel with 3 spare batteries (my long flights are US trans-continentinal these days), so yes, you are that unusual. Looks like our only option is going to be the 15" Pro (alas), as I expect the next gen aluminum/Penryn MacBook will drop the superdrive.
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post #80 of 187
1/17/08 at 9:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

If I got the MBA, I would travel with an Airport Express.

No, time capsule. If you're going to run around with an express (and I sometimes did carry a 802.11g bridge) you might as well have the drive too...
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